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The Axholme Brewing Company are moving part of their business into a former church (Image: Rick Byrne)

And with passion for the town in equal measure, they were keen to tap into wider regeneration proposals, boosted this past week with Heritage Action Zone status.

The team wants to quadruple current output, having added more than 100 trade customers since Mr Douglas, Charles Lumley and Shahram Shadan joined Mike and Jules Richards in Crowle. Mr Lumley was an early customer with his Cleethorpes craft beer shop Message in a Bottle, and rallied round when he heard it could be scaled down as the couple struggled to take it to the next level.

Mr Douglas bought the building, which had been used by a storage company for decades, having been deconsecrated after the last service back in 1954. Both Mr Douglas and Mr Lumley, are cousins, and grandsons of former town clerk Frederick Ward.

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Currently turning out 4,320 pints a week, firm orders from independent pubs as well as a recent win with The Lincolnshire Co-operative, has led to the application. The plan is to convert the ground floor into a brewery, with newer brewing technology to have a capacity of at least 19,400 pints, while making it a new headquarters, employing a handful of staff.

Axholme Brewing Company has come up with the perfect Christmas treat for Grimsby Town fans - Mariners Winter Ale

The building offers huge potential with a first floor added previously, still enjoying the open arched roof with exposed beams and other original features – but the immediate focus is brewing capacity.

April will mark 50 years since Hewitts last brewed in Grimsby. Mr Douglas said he hopes to have the investment plan in place by the end of January, with a starting date ahead of summer orders of the resort tipple and wider range.